I'm in a weird place with this book. I was so excited to get it, yet the moment I did I kept putting it down to read other books. A part of me told me I was bored. What frustrates me is I don't know why. All I know is I kept losing my concentration as I was reading. I don't know if it was the multiple characters or the interesting, yet involved plot line, but it didn't hold my interest as much as other books have.Still, the characters were enough to sell me on this book. The 'Raven Boys' were unique, yet were so connected with each other that I don't think the book would've been the same without even one of them. Gansey was a guiding light to the other three boys, but it was a struggle. Gansey was obsessed with the 'Ley Line' and how it was linked to Glendower, a welsh King. In some ways, I felt sorry for him, mainly because he felt that all the value he had to anyone was tied up with his money. I guess 'poor little rich kid' could best fit him. He wasn't aware of how his friends were feeling about him, only that he cared about them as if they were family. And that, people, is why I liked him.Adam -sigh- I think I connected with him the most. He was so down to Earth and struggling so hard to be independent - despite his harsh family background. He was glue who kept their 'family' together. He kept Ronan grounded, while having to face his own abusive background. He was the one who wanted to make something of himself, but he didn't want to use his friends or their money to do it. He's stubborn and very proud. And, he's drawn to Blue as much as Gansey is.Ronan is the fighter of the group. He's so angry at life - at what happened to his family and his father. He has no family at all and the family he does have only want to fight him. But, he also has a sad side - one that haunts him. And, he has secrets. That's the frustrating thing - I still don't know what is is, but I think it has something to do with his dad. And then there's Noah. He was the one who fascinated me the most. He was very quiet, but quite affectionate, especially with Blue. He had the biggest secret of all and the most surprising.Blue didn't really make an impression on me. She had a psychic family - true, but there was nothing about her that made me connect with her as much as the 'boys' did. She could have been anyone.The story was along a paranormal line more than a fantasy one - even if there is some form of magic involved. I must admit that the book Maggie Stiefvater wrote this time is definitely different from the 'Shiver' series and The Scorpio Races. There's definitely a lot of mystery in this book and some of it even surprising. And also a intellectual feel to the book, which I think is brought to life by Gansey being an intellectual, and because of the historical aspect as well.Did I like this book enough to go on and read the sequel? Yes. Did I love The Raven Boys? If you're talking about the characters - yes. If you're talking about the book as a whole - no, not really.Now, for my rating Three out of five stars.This review can be found here. http://magicalmanuscriptsandwritingthings.blogspot.co.nz/
